Painter&#39;s adjustable plank



Jan. 19, 1932. w. ROBERTS I PAINTERS ADJUSTABLE PLANK Filed Oct. 16, 1929 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHCE WILLIAM ROBERTS, F IBELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 STOYNO MAR-INOFF, 0F IBELOIT, WISCONSIN PAINTER S ADJUSTABLE PLANK Application filed October 16,1929.

My invention relates to painters planks of the type adapted to beused by painters, paper hangers and the like for painting walls, ceilings, or similar surfaces, and 1s adapted to replace the ladders and planks heretofore used for this purpose.

Painters, paper hangers and the like now usually employ two or more step ladders having a plank resting between them as a scaifold vvlofor reaching the ceiling and upper walls to be painted or treated. However, this arrangement is unwieldy and quite difficult to handle in use. It will be seen that in order to move such an arrangement from one position to'another, even within the same room,

it is necessary to remove the plank from the ladders, move the ladders to the new position and replace the plank thereon. In many cases it is impossible for a single operator to move the scaffolding alone. Another serious objection to this arrangement is the fact that practically all of the furniture beneath the plank must be moved to make room for the ladders and this moving must be continued as the'scafiolding is moved from position to 0 I have also aimed to provide a painters adjustable plank wherein the legs are attached to the plank through a plurality of suitably spaced openings in said legs.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an improved painters plank wherein each of the legs may be provided with steps to permit the workman to mount 7 thereon.

I have also aimed to provide a painters adjustable plank in which the legs are easily removable and which may be readily and com. pact-1y folded up for transportation purposes.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be obvious to those skilled in the art from Serial No. 399,924.

the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the assembled plank;

Fig. 2 is a section through the leg and step showing the manner in which the step is supported upon the leg; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the plank showing one bracket in section.

The plank consists generally of a horizontal platform 5 consisting of two members 6 and 7 slidably connected together by means of strap members 8 attached to the end of member 6 and 9 attached to the end of member 7. A plurality of legs 10 support the plank at either end and are attached to the platform 5 through brackets 11. The legs 10 are cooperable with the brackets 11 through holes 12 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The bracketsll each consist of a horizontal member 13 attached to the bottom of members 6 and 7 near the free end of each by means of bolts and nuts 14, and an outer end provided with an obliquely positioned sleeve portion 15, the upper end of which extends slightly inward over the top of the platform 5. Each of the members 15 are provided with central openings 16 having projecting. knobs 17 and 18. A portion of each side of each of the members 15 is slotted out as shown at 19 and 20 to receive the legs 10 which may be inserted therein and through the openings 16 when positioned in a slight degree of angularity with respect thereto as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3. When the leg has been inserted to a point where two of the openings 12 therein are opposite the knobs 17 and 18 the legs may be drawn inward to cause the knobs 17 and 18 to pass within the'openings 12, thus positively fixing the legs to the brackets. 'However, because of the spread of the legs they have a tendency to move outward which would ultimately release the openings 12 from the knobs 17 and 18. I have therefore provided chains 21 and 22 which connect each pair of legs near the bottomthereof. These chains may-be light in weight and may be fixedly attached to one leg at 23 and arrangedto engage hooks 24 in the opposite legs at suitable positions. Referring to Fig. 2 steps are provided comprising a flat metal piece 25 upon which the foot may be placed, having an upwardly eXtend ing back portion 26 provided with a ring 27 arranged to pass around the leg 10. A projection 28 on the rear of the metal piece 25 is arranged to engage any of the openings 12 in the legs 10. It will be plain that a plurality of these steps may be provided at suitable intervals along either of the legs 10 to permit the workman to step up or down the same.

It will be plain from the above description that my invention offers a number of advantages over the prior art. The platform may be extended outward or telescoped inward because of the metal supporting parts 8 and 9 which serve to hold the two members 6 and 7 together. Because of the chains 21 and 22 and the manner in which the legs are sup ported in the brackets 11 the assembly possesses a certain rigidity whereby it may be readily moved from place to place by a single workman and since the parts are all firmly fastened together it is quite easily moved and may be constructed of much lighter material than older assemblies.

Plainly the structure may be rapidly and easily assembled and disassembled. If the chains 21 and 22 are unhooked from the hooks 24 the legs 10 may be readily removed from the brackets 11 without any type of tool. These legs 10 may then be placed upon the platform 5 in its telescoped condition and the chains 21 and 22 wrapped about the whole to provide a conveniently transported bundle which a single workman may easily carry about. The steps render the assembly complete and provide a highly simple yet efficient structure for the purpose intended.

Because of the smallness of the legs 10 the furniture in a room need seldom be moved to any great extent during cleaning or painting operations. WVhen painting is to be done on stairways or places having floors at different levels it will be plain that the knobs 17 and 18 may be inserted in suitable holes 12 to provide a level platform. The upper ends of the legs 10 may project out considerably beyond that shown in Fig. 1 to permit this adjustment of the leg lengths.

This is believed to set forth the invention in such clear and concise manner as will be understood by those skilled in the art. I am aware that numerous alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not wish to be limited except as required by the prior art and the appended claims in which- I claim:

1. A painters plank comprising a platform, a plurality of brackets positioned on the sides of said platform, legs adjustably positioned in said brackets on opposite sides of said platform, means for connecting the legs on opposite sides of said platform near their lower ends for drawing said ends together, and adjustable steps adapted to engage said legs at desired intervals.

2. A painters plank comprising a platform, means for adjusting the length of said platform, a pair of brackets positioned upon opposite sides of said platform near each end each including a sleeve portion, a plurality of projections on the inner side of said sleeve, legs arranged to be received in said sleeve portions said legs each having a plurality of spaced openings to receive said projections, means for connecting each pair of said legs near the lower end thereof, and steps arranged to engage any of the openings in said legs.

A painters plank comprising a platform, means for altering the length of said platform, a plurality of legs for supporting said platform, each leg having a series of spaced holes, a plurality of brackets positioned on opposite sides of said platform each including a sleeve portion arranged to receive one of said legs therein when the latter are held at a predetermined degree of angularity with respect to said sleeve, projections on the inner face of said sleeve to engage the openings in said leg when the latter is brought to a second position of angularity, means for holding said legs in said second positions of angularity.

4. A. painters plank including a platform and a plurality of legs, a plurality of brackets arranged to be positioned at the sides of said plank each including a horizontal portion adapted to be attached to the bottom of the plank, a sleeve portion positioned obliquely with respect to said horizontal portion having its ends slotted at opposite sides to permit one of said legs to be inserted therein, and projections on the inner sides of said sleeve opposite said slots to engage said leg at predetermined intervals when the lower end of said leg is drawn inward.

In witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

WILLIAM ROBERTS. 

